The Realm of Trent

[Aval Penworth]

I've drawn in the main rivers 5px wide for major rivers 2px wide for smaller rivers. All rivers are drawn on a transparent layer with a slight bevel.

I will add more trubutaries later.

In order for the main river to pass through the mountains, I erased a path on each mountain layer with a hard edged eraser.

[Aval Penworth]

The map so far. Some texture tiling is evident which I will clean up later. Next I will make adjustments to the hills layer with a soft round brush or eraser so the terrain is more sympathetic the the flow of the rivers.

[Aval Penworth]

Next I colour selected the lighter areas of the ground, feathered 20px and copied the selection on top of the hills layer. I used a texture and emboss on this layer. Now I have lighter bare hills to contrast with the grassy hills. I added a 3% noise to the hills layers to give texture to the slightly blurred edges.

From here on I will just tinker, but the main 'groundwork' is done.

[Aval Penworth]

Almost done. I have some more lables to do, but I think I am on the home straight. I will clean up the tiling in the textures and blend the rivers after I merge all the layers.

[Aval Penworth]

Okay. I think that this is finished, but please offer any feedback or commentary you see fit.

This is once again part of my campaign world, but far from the civilized realms. All the cities are walled and have very little farmland. The staple Trentish diet consists of variously processed giant earthworm, cave mushrooms, wild berries and fruits. Only the very richest cities have the luxury of importing a variety of foods. The Trentish folk are known as 'worm eaters' in other lands and are considered to be brutish, uncultured and course. This reputation is more based upon ancient prejudices than current Trentish habbits.

Trent is a colony of Cornad, and the people of Trent speak Cornish with an accented drawl. For centuries the Cornish tried to tame the lands so that they could plunder its rich resourses, but the lands have proved too wild and ornery. So the Cornish have withdrawn to their island home, leaving the Trenish folk to fend for themselves from their walled city states. Inhabitants constantly battle for survival against wild beasts and savage demi-human races. 8o years ago a plague swept through the lands wiping out many of the smaller towns and leaving ruins and ghost-towns. Travel is difficult and dangerous. There are very few roads and the folk of the inland cities have becom quite insular and have developed some rather unusual customs.

To this day adventurous souls strike out into the unforgiving lands with the hope of finding lost treasures or abandoned mines with caches of crystal and gemstones. Striking it rich is far from easy however, and only the brave and fortunate few manage to best the wyverns, ogres, hobgoblins and giants to return with booty and tall tales to tell.

Edit: added a darker desaturated version